Gearshift mechanism



June 4, 1940. F. GIRARDI ET -AL 2,202,949

` GEARSHIFT MEcHANIsM Filed March so, 1938 z sheetssheet 1 June 4, 1 940. F. GIRARDI ET AL 2,202,949

GEASHIFT uEcHANIsM Filed March 50, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Illlll Patented June 4, l1940 UNITEDy STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,202,949 g y GEAasml-T MEcnANIsM Frank Girardi and Salvatore Cipullo, Chicago.

Ill., assignors, by direct and mesne assignments.

to Robert A. Dublin and Antonio Torretta, both of Chicago, Ill., as trustees Application March 30, 1938, Serial No.v198,941

` 8 Claims. (01.74-484) This invention pertains to gear shifting mech-- anism of general application but especially adapted for use with automotive vehicles, and includes as one of its principal objects the provision of an I improved gearshift mechanism for mounting upon l is adapted for installation either as part of the original equipment or as replacement equipment for cooperation with standard gearshift mechanism whereby to provide a more accessible and conveniently operated shift means and remove .u the usual shift rod from the floor of the drivers compartment.

Another object is to provide a gear shifting attachment of the class characterized and which may be employed with either the standard three- M speed-forward transmission or the four-speedforward transmission.

A'further object is the provision of gear shifting meansl for use with standard Vtransmission equipment and adapted for mounting either as a part of the steering post structure oran auxiliary attachment thereto.

A further object is the provision of a simple, rugged and wholly reliable mechanism in the form of an attachment designed to replace the cover-,structure on a standard transmission gear set housing for cooperation with the speed changing gear Vsystem thereof, said mechanism being designed for cooperation with a simple shift lever mechanism arranged upon the steering post for easy access to the drivers hand. y y

Yet another'object is the provision of a gear shifting mechanism of the type above characterized and adapted for cooperation with a standard three-speed-forward gearshift set and including a shifting finger cooperable with the gear set, operating means for the shift .nger in the form of a rocker mounted for both rocking an axially shifting or translating movement; improved bearing means for mounting the rocker; and oscillable f 4l lever means for shifting the rocker.

Yet another object is the provision of a simple' modiiication of the gear shifting mechanism for cooperation with the four-speed-forward type of gear set and wherein there are provided a pair I0 of shift fingers and means for selectively operat- Il 'shaft disposed within the post, or mounted atop' an auxiliary post structure attached to the steering post so as to dispose the lever close to the wheel.

A still further object is the provision of improved means arranged at the bottom of the main steering post orA the auxiliary post attachment for effecting driving connection between the shift lever and the shifting mechanism.

Other objects and novel aspects of the invention reside in certain details of construction, a's well as the operation and location of certain'parts' hereinafter to Abe described in view of the annexed drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a three-speedforward shift mechanism and manual shift lever arranged as part of the steeringpost structure;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section through the steering wheel hub structure and Ashift lever means, as seen in the direction of lines 2-2 of'Flg. 1;

lFig..3 is a side elevation of a post connection housing for use with the device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a slightly enlarged section through a post connection housing structure like that of Fig.

3, as the same would be viewed along lines 4 4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a median section through the post connection mechanism, as seen along lines 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section, to enlarged scale, of the shift finger rocker shaft assembly, as viewed in the direction of lines 6 6 of Fig. 1:

Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective of the mechanism shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 shows an auxiliary post attachment for mounting on the regular steering post in fourspeed-forward installations;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary section through the shift lever mounting atop the auxiliary post attachment, as viewed in the direction of lines 9--9 "of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged vertical section through the lower operating connection or linkage housing for the device o f Fig. 8, as seen in the direction of lines'I--Ill of the latter; while Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the four-speed-'- forward shift operating mechanism, Figs. 8, 9 and 11 being complementary and arranged substantially in the position assumed by 4their respective elements in cooperative relation.

The present 'invention relates to improvements in the general class of shift operating means disclosed in United States Patent 1,992,419 to Frank Girardi, one of the inventorsl herein, and in ac- 55 bossi formation 2D.

complishing the lseveral objects heretofore recited, there is provided. in a, preferred embodiment of the three-speed-forward arrangement in Fig.:

1, a standard set of transmission speed shifting gears arranged for three-speed-forward operation in a casing l5 arranged on the car chassis for cooperation with the driving or torque shaft I6 in the well-known manner. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the customary upright shift rod is missing from the top cover structure of this gear set, it being one of the objects of the invention to dispense with this element entirely.

Replacing the usual cover plate of the gear set housing l5 is a base plate I1 having a' small integrally cast dome or chamber i8 housing the improved shifting mechanism of the present invention, said mechanism including a laterally extending rocker shaft |9 seated for rocking or oscillatory movement in suitable bearings provided` in the casting, one of which is provided by the Extending collaterally with th`e rocker shaft I9 is a rocker shaft 2| (see Figs. 6 and 7 also), which, like the rocker shaft |9, projects laterally from the housing portion I8 for connection with a linkage or operating means hereinafter to ber-described.

Means for actuating or shifting the transmission gear set, includes a depending shift finger 21 (Figs. 6 and 7) suitably shaped at its lower end portion particularly for cooperation with standard equipment gear sets, this finger being attached at its upper end to the lower half section 28 of the rocker block, the lower section being removably attached, as by bolts 29, to an upper half section 38.

Both half sections of the rocker block are provided with complementary and Vsubstantially V- shaped grooves 3| adapted to fit around or embrace the rocker shaft |9 when the halves of the block are clamped together, the apex or bottorn portion of each of the grooves 3| providing a bearing seat for roller bearing members 32, there being a plurality of these bearings serially aligned in axially extending groove portions 33 in the shaft I9. Thus, the rocker block is keyed y I9 and having an upper end portion 35 disposed in a slot or yoke 36 formed in a short offset arm 31 of a shift crank 38 pivotally mounted as at 39 upon the under top surface of the top chamber I8 by means such as the bolt 40 (Figs. 1 and 6 also).

Depending from the free end portion of the crank arm 38 is a stud 4| disposed in a groove 42 cut in a top boss' portion 43 of the upper rocker block section 30. It will be apparent that when the shaft 2| is oscillated by any means, a similar motion will be transmitted to the crank lever 38, which in-turn will shift the rocker block in opposite directions on its shaft I9 by virtue of the engagement of the stud 4| in the groove'42 thereof. Thus, the lower end of the shift finger 21 may be moved back and forth in a linear sense between opposite sides of the shift pattern for subsequent oscillatory movement into the various speed positions there indicated (Fig. 7)

Means for operating the shift mechanism in- ,cludes a shift lever 48 (Figs. 1 and 2) plvotally 'mounted as at 49 on pin means extending between opposite sides of a top or head chamber 50 surmounting the upper end of a steering post structure 5| and seated concentrically in the hub portion 52 of'the steering wheel 53. There is a side opening 54 in the top of the housing or crown 50 adequately dimensioned to permit pivotal movement of the shift lever 48 in an up-anddown direction about the pin mounting 49 as an axis.

Theshift lever 48 is also arranged for pivotal movement laterally to-and-fro in a plane at right angles to the axis of the column by means of a rearward yoke formation or extension 55, from the free end portions of which stud pin means 56 project into a circumferential groove 51 in an enlarged head piecev 58 at the upper end of a shift operating rod 59 disposed Within a protective sleeve 60 which in turn is arranged concentrically in a torque tube 6|. The shift rod 59 and surrounding tubular members including the torque tube 6| are all disposed within the steering post tube 5|, the torque tube 6| being provided with a key 62 interconnecting the same with the hub portion 52 of the steering wheel for rotative movement with the latter. The torquevtube has the usual connections in its lower region with steering tie rods.

It will be evident from the foregoing description that the shiftlever 48 is operable for pivotal movement about two axes disposed substantially at right angles to each other, the one being extended through the pin means 49, and the other the axis of the shift rod 59. Thus, when the lever 48 is depressed, it will turn about the pin 49 to raise the shift rod 59, and simultaneously or subsequently the lever may be drawn toward or away from the driver to oscillate the shiftrod 59; in the latter movement, the crown or housing 58 oscillates in the hub portion 52 of the steering wheel, the same being mounted in condition for such movement by means of a A collar 63 threaded onto the upper end of the shield or protective tube 6|) around the upper end of the shifting rod or shaft 59, beneath the enlarged head portion 58 thereof, the lower end of the shield tube 60 being secured in the sleeve portion 66 on the link gear housing 65 (Fig. 5).

By means nf this construction, the entire steering post control assembly may be readily installed and dismantled, the housing orcxuwn portion 50 turning with the lever 48 when the latter pivots coaxially of the post or column. It may be remarked at this juncture that the shift lever housing or crown 58 may be arranged to include the usual horn button 41 and connections therefor.

Linking the shift operating mechanism with the manual shift lever 48 is a special link gearing means arranged in a housing 65 (Fig. 5) at the lower end of the steering post 5|, the latter housing forming part of a sleeve structure 66 having a mounting bracket 66' and embracing the lower end region of the steering post 5|, there being the vcustomary driving connection between the torque tube 6| and a steering tie rod, all arranged within the sleeve portion G6.

Arranged within the housing 65 is a bevel gear or pinion 61 slldably keyed to the shift rod 59 by key means 68 slidable in a keyway 69 in the shaft. Meshing with the bevel gear 61 is a. driven bevel gear l on the inner end of a. stud shaft 1| projecting from a side of the housing 65 for connection with a crank arm` 12, the latter in turn being vconnected through a suitable means,

such as the ball and socket joint 13, with a link rod 14 (Figs. 3 and 4). Bythis arrangement, a turning of the shift rod 59 -by the shift lever 48 will effect corresponding movement of the lever 12 and a reciprocation of the link rod 14.

The lower end 59 of the shift rod is seated in a .removable thrust bearing at the bottom of the housing, and between'this lower end and the bevel gearl 61 there is a grooved .collar 16 rigid with the shaft 59. Slidably mounted for.

15 reciprocable movement in a direction parallel with the shaft 59 in the housing 65 is a rack 11 having'aflnger 'I8 projecting in the grooved poi'- tion of the collar 16; the rack having sliding support in opposite groove formations on the inner 9A) surfaces'of the housing and being adapted to slide up and down when the shaft- 59 is raised and lowered as a result of pivotal movement of the shift lever 48 in an up-and-down direction. A gear 80, mounted upon a stud shaft 8| project- 26 ing exteriorly of the housing, meshes with the rack 11 and is driven by the latter to rock the shaft 0| and a crank arm 82 rigid therewith to effect reciprocation of a second link rod 83 con'- connected`respectively through ball and socketjoint means with levers 14 and 83' on the ex teriorly projecting portions of the shift mech- 36 anism shafts I9 and 2| (Fig. l), reciprocation of the link rod 83 being effective to shift the rocker' block 28-30 andthe. shift finger 21 back and forth in the manner heretofore explained, the '.1

reciprocation of the companion link rod 14 being effective to effect corresponding movement of the rocker block 28-30 and` oscillation of the shift linger v21 for selective operation of the transmissiongear set.

In the operation of the three-speed-forward arrangement described in view of Figs. l through '7, the neutral position of the shift lever and shift'- ing mechanism' is shown particularly in Figs. 2 and 7. In order to shift from neutral to first, the operator grasps the shift lever 48 (assuming the clutch' to be released, of course) and draws the same toward him so as to turn the shift rod 59 (through the yoke connection 55-56-51) in a clockwise 'direction (Fig. 2), which would eifect an anticlockwise turningof the shaft 1| (Fig. 4), and hence a shifting of the link rod 14 toward the left in Fig. 1 to rock the shaft I9 in a clockwiseL direction (Fig.7) and hence urge the finger 21 into first speed... In order to gointo reverse from -movement effecting a raising of the shift rod 69 and a clockwise movement of the gear 80 (Fig. 5) through the rack and pinion drive, with a con- 70 sequent shifting of the link rod 83 toward the right as seen in Fig. 1. This latter movementds transmitted through the bell crank lever 88 (Fig.

'7) and thedependlng stud 4| to the finger block.

-30 so that the latter is shifted on its ball 1I bearing keywafmwardy the left (Fig. 7), it being recalled that the operator at substantially the same time has pushed the shift lever 48 away from him so as to effect a counterclockwise rotation of the rocker shaft I9 to move the shift linger 21 into second-speed position, as indicated in the shift pattern. Shifting from second to third or high is effected by simply drawing the shift lever 48 straight back from its advanced second-speed v position toward the driver.

The invention provides a gear shifting means which is adaptablev for ,use with either a three or four-speed forward transmission, and in Figs.

9 through 11, we have illustrated one adaptation to a four-speed-forward transmission and have chosen to .illustrate a feature of the invention which provides for thesemployment of an' auxiliary attachment to the steering post.

The gear shifting mechanism is housed in a transmission box coverplate structureor casting, similar to the castingy |1-I8 described in 'view Aof Fig. 1. Moreover, there are arranged within the dome portion I6 of the cover plate casting a v pair of collaterally extended shafts |00 and |0| corresponding'in a broad sense to the shafts I9 and 2| of the three-speed-forwardarrangement, the shaft |00 having a lever |02 drivingly engaged with -a bell crank |03 pivoted in the dome and having a depending stud |04 engaged in a lateral slot formation |05 in a shift block or sleeve |06. By this arrangement, rocking of the shaft |00, by its lever |01 will effect translatory or axially shifting movement of the sleeve |06 substantially in the-'same manner as the translatory or reciprocable shifting of the finger block 28T-30 was effected in the device of Fig. '7. Also, the shifting sleeve |06 is preferably provided with keying means slidable in a keyway |09 on the shaft |0I, so that the sleeve slides in the latter shaft when'properly urged by the bell crank |02. Depending from the shift sleeve |06 is a shift nger ||0` cooperable with the third and fourth speed gear of the transmission set.

. The shaft 0| has a bore through which projects a first rocker shaft III having rigidly arranged therewith a shift finger ||2 cooperable with the first and second-speed gear of the transmission set and adapted to be rocked ,back and forth from the neutral position shown in `iig. 11 to select first land. second4 speeds, the' main or outer shaft |0| being similarly rocked to move the shift finger I|0 back and forth from the neutral position of Fig. 11 to select third Aand fourth speeds forward. Reverse drive is effected' by pivoting the lever |01 to turn the bell crank |03 in a clockwise direction and shift the sleeve |06 toward the left while the, shaft I0 I` is pivoted in an anticlockwise direction by vits operating lever ||3 to move) the finger ||0 back into the reverse selecting position indicated in the shift pattern.

The manual control means for the four-speedforward shift vincludes an auxiliary column or post -|20 (Fig. 8) secured by brackets orstraps |2I to theA regular steering post |22, the upper end portion of the auxiliary column terminating preferably just below the steering wheel and be'- ing provided with a capi orv crown |23 having a side notch or cut-away portion 24 through which projects a shift lever |25 pivotally mounted for movement in an up-and-down direction about an axis provided by pin means |26 secured to the inner portionspf the cap or crown |23.v The inner end of the shift lever i|26 is provided with an olfset yoke |26' having pin means |21 in the free enlarged head part |28 of the upperend of a shift rod or shaft |29 disposed within the column |20.

The upper end portion of the column |20 is provided with a collar |30 disposed between the bottom portion |3| of the cap |23 and the headed portion |28 of the shaft |29, so that the entire cap or crown housing may be oscillated by corresponding movement of the shift lever |25 laterally to-and-fro in the plane normal to the post, oscillation of the shift lever in an up-and-down direction being effective to raise and lower the shift rod or shaft |29 in the column |20.

This operation of the control or shift lever |25 corresponds generally to that of the shift lever 48 described in view of Fig. 2, with the difference, however, that in the four-speed-forward arrangement of Fg. 9, the shift lever has three positions in its up-and-down movement-raised, lowered and intermediate.

Means for linking or operatively connecting the shift lever with the shifting mechanism includes a housing |35 (Figs. 8 and 10) secured by bolt means to flange portions |36 at the lower end of the column or post |20, the reduced end p0rtion |31 of the shift rod |29 extending into the housing |35 for engagement with a capl |38 threaded on the end thereof for movement in a chamber |39 forming part of the housing and effective to limit the reciprocable movement of the shift rod. The lower end portion of the shift rod is provided with a bore |40 into which is slidably tted the headed end portion |4| of a Bowden wire or cable link |42, the cap |39 preventing withdrawal of the headed portion |4| from the bore. The chamberiSSis preferably of annular shape and is closed off at its lower end by a cap |43 threaded thereon, this cap having a bore through which the Bowden wire |42 extends, the cap having a boss |44 onto which one end of a guide cable |45 is threaded. It may be remarked here that the opposite end of the Bowden wire |42 isA connected with the rocker lever |01 on shaft |00 (Fig. 11) Thus, a raising and lowering movement of the shift rod |29 will effect reciprocation of the Bowden wire by virtue of the disposition of the headed portion |4| of the latter in the bore |40 of the shift rod.

Projectinglaterally from the lower end por tion |31 of the shift rod |29 is a selector finger |50 which oscillates within the housing |35 when the shift rod |29 is turned by the operating lever. The free end portion of the selector nger is tapered and provided with a `bearing formation or boss |5| disposed for movement in a pair of aligned grooves |52 and |53 each extended in an axial sense in a pair of telescoped stud shaft members, the groove |52 being formed in a collar portion |54 on a stud shaft |55 seated at its lower end in a boss |56 in the housing. The other groove |53 is formed in a sleeve shaft member |51 embracing thestud` shaft |55 and projecting-with the latter exteriorly `of the housing. Thus. the

selecting finger |50 may be moved in an up-andportion of the stud shaft |55 engages a lever |65 having connection through a similar ball and socket joint |66 with a, connecting rod |61 which in turn is operatively connected with a rocker lever ||4 on the inner rock shaft In operation, the parts are moved from their neutralposition shown in Figs. 10 and l1, first speed being selected by movement of the manual shift lever |25 toward the driver so as to effect clockwise movement of the drive shaft |29 and a corresponding movement of the selector finger |50 in its normally lowered position seen in Fig. l0, thus effecting anticlockwise movement of the stud shaft |55 to pivot the link lever arm |65 and draw the corresponding connecting rod |61 toward the left as seen in Fig. 1l, thus rocking the shaft in a clockwise direction and projecting the shift finger ||2 from its neutral position forwardly (to the left) into first-speed position.

Selection of second driving speed is effected by moving the shift leve'r |25 away from the driver to effect a reverse operation to that described in the selection of rst speed, the shift lever |25, of course, passing back through its neutral position so as to pivot the shift finger ||2 toward the right (Fig. 11) and back into second-speed position.

Selection of third speed is effected by pivoting the shift lever |25 into its intermediate position so as to raise the shift rod |29 in the column |20 and thus raise the selector arm |50 so as to transfer its bearing or ball portion |5| from the lower groove |52 in the stud shaft |55 up into the groove |53 of the sleeve shaft |51 and thereby establishing a driving connection with the link operating lever |60 sc that a movement of the shift lever away from the driver, effecting anticlockwise movement of the shift rod |29, will pivot the sleeve shaft |51 and its link arm |60 to draw the connecting rod |62 toward the left (Fig. 11)

and rock the shaft |0| in a clockwise direction to project the shift finger ||0 into third-speed position.

' Selection of the fourth-speed forward is effected by manipulation of the shift lever |25 in a reverse manner to that just described in conjunction with the selection of third speed.

In shifting into reverse, the shift lever is depressed to the limit to raise the shift rod |29 to its limit and thus cause the cap portion |38 on the lower reduced end portion |31 of the shift rod to bear against the headed portion |4| of the Bowden wire |42, thus rocking the lever arm |01 (Figl 11) toward the left and effecting a translatory or axially shifting movement of the rocker sleeve |06 through the agency of the lever |02 and the bell crank |03, whereby to slide the shift finger ||0 toward the left, the shift lever thereupon being drawn toward the driver to turn the sleeve shaft |51 in a clockwise direction and urge the rocker lever ||3 in an anticlockwise direction, so that the shift finger' I0 will be moved to the right, back into vrevers-e position, it being remembered that the selector armf |50 has been raised into driving engagement with the sleeve shaft |51 by the previous depression of the shift lever.

Various modifications may be made in the specic embodiment of the invention set forth in detail herein for purposes of illustration, allI Without departing from the scope and spirit of f the invention as defined by the appended claims,

said claims including -within their call all equivalent means for effecting the objects of the invention in its broadest aspects.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. Gear shifting mechanism for cooperation with a shiftable transmission gear set, said mechanism including a housing, a pair of collaterally mounted rock shafts extending from said housing, and one of the same having a shift finger mounted for axially sliding movement thereon and keyed therewith to be oscillated by rocking movement of the shaft, the other rock shaft having lever mechanism operatively connected with said shift finger so as to effect axially sliding movement of the latter in opposite directions when V said other shaft is rocked whereby selective shifting movement of said shift linger may be effected by rocking said shafts in a determined manner, said rock shaft on which the shift finger is`mounted having an axial bore with a; third rock shaft disposed therein for independent rockling movement therein, there being a second shift turning movement therewith and also free to slide back and forthI in the direction of the axis of said shaft, said sleeve member having a shift finger rigid therewith, lever means mounted in said housing and oscillable to shift said sleeve member back and forth on said first-mentioned shaft, connection between said lever means and said second shaft for actuating said lever means to shift the sleeve member when said second shaft is rocked, a third rock shaftl mounted for freely turning movement in said first-mentioned shaft and having a second shifting finger rigid therewith, said housing being mounted with respect to said gear set to dispose said shift fingers in operative engagement with shiftable gear elements of said set.

3. Shifting mechanism for cooperation with a four-speed-forward transmission gear set including a housing, said mechanism including a housing adapted to' be 'mounted upon said gear set housingto constitute a cover for the latter, a pair of collaterally extended rock shaftsfmcunted in said second-mentioned housing and a first one of the same being provided with a-rocking element keyed theron so asI to be rocked with the shaft and free to slide back and forth axially of the shaft, said rocking element having a shift finger rigid therewith, a bell crank mounted within said second housing and having operative engagement with said rocking element so-as to slide the latter back and forth responsive .to oscillation of the bell crank, means moved by said 'second rock shaft for oscillating said bell crank when said shaft is rocked back and forth, athird rock shaft freely mounted within said first-mentioned rock shaft and having a second shift ilnger rigid therewith, said shift fingers being engageing column for pivotal movement about the axis of the column and also for rocking movement j about an axis transverse to the column, shift actuating mechanism vcomprising a pair of parallel rocking shafts mounted to extend in a horizontal direction transversely of the steering column, a pair of reciprocable connecting members, crank means operatively connecting each of the same y with one of said rocking shafts for rocking movement of the latter by reciprocation of the corresponding connecting member, translating mechanism operatively connecting said connecting members with said hand lever so that rocking movement of the latter will effect rocking movement of one of said rocking shafts while pivotal movement ofthe hand lever will effect rocking movement of the other rocking shaft, a shift operating element mounted for sliding movement on one of said rocking shafts and also arranged to rock with said shaft, a radial finger rigid with the other rocking shaft, and a lever mounted to rock-about an axis transverse to the axes of said rocking shafts and havinga slotted formation operatively engaged near one end with said finger,

the opposite end of said lever having pin and slot engagement with said shift operating element whereby said element may be rocked by its corresponding rocking shaft independently of said last-mentioned lever, said lever being oscillated by the remaining rocking shaft to effect sliding movement of the shift operating element.

5. In a gear shifting mechanism for automobiles, a hand lever mounted on the steering post' for rocking movement about an axis transversely of the post and also about an axis extending in the direction of the length of the post, a pair of parallel rocking shafts extending from the transmission housing, each mounted for movement about an axis transversely of said post, gear shiftingv members reciprocable in parallelism transversely of said rocking shafts and arranged to selectively shift transmission gears, connecting rods extending in parallelism from said rocking lever in a predetermined manner relative to the aforesaid rocking axis thereof whereby to rock the corresponding rocki'rig shaft, selective coupling means mounted on a particular one of said rocking shafts for movement back and forth selectively into and out of operative engagement with one or the other of said gear shifting members to couple the same with said particularirocking shaft, and lever means actuated by the other rocking shaft and operatively associated with said coupling lmeans for moving the latter back and forth for the purpose aforesaid.

6. In an automotive vehicle including a steering post and a transmission gear set having gear shifting members mounted for shifting operation in parallelism in a direction generally toward said steering' st, shifting mechanism including a pair of rocking shafts mounted for movement about parallel'axes extending transversely of said shiftingimembers, coupling means mounted on a particular one of said rocking shafts for movement back and forth selectively into and out of operative engagement with one for mounting said hand lever for rocking movement about an axis transversely of said post and also about an axis extending in the direction of the length of said post, and means operatively connecting said hand lever.with said rocking shafts whereby the latter may be selectively rockedresponsive to manipulation of the hand lever in various predetermined manners relative to the aforesaid rocking axes thereof.

'7. In a tranmission gear shifting apparatus for control by a hand lever disposed adjacent the steering post of an automotive vehicle, the combination, with a pair of shifting members arranged for shifting operation in parallelism, of actuating mechanism comprising a pair of parallel rocking shafts, eachmounted for movement about an axis transverse to the direction of movement of said shifting members, means operatively' linking said rocking shafts with said hand lever for selective actuation by the latter, a coupling member'mounted for back and forth movement on a particular one of said rocking shafts for selective movement with one or the other of said shifting members, 'said coupling member being arranged to rock with said particular rocking shaft to reciprocate the coupled shifting member and actuate said transmission gear set, and means operatively connecting said coupling member with the other rocking shaft and including a radial finger rigid on saidA other shaft and a lever mounted for pivotal movement by said finger about an axis transverse to said other shaft and at one side of said particular shaft and having pin and slot connection with said coupling member to move the latter back and forth responsive to rocking movement of said other shaft.

8. In a gear shifting mechanism for automobiles, a hand lever mounted on the steering post for rocking movement about an axis transversely of the post and also about an axis extending in the direction of the length of the post. a pair of parallel shafts extending across the transmission housing, each mounted for movement upon an axis transversely of said post, at least one of said shafts being rockable about its respective axis, gear shifting members reciprocable in parallelism transversely of said shafts and arranged to selectively shift transmission gears, connecting devices extending from said shafts toward said post', mechanism operatively linking eachrof the same with said hand lever for selective reciprocation by movements of said lever in a predetermined manner relative to the aforesaid axis thereof whereby to 'move the corresponding shaft, a selective coupling slider reciprocably mounted on a particular one of said shafts and carrying a shift linger with its opposite sides selectively movable to-and-fro into and out of operative engagement with one or the other of said gear shifting members to couple the same with each particular shaft, and means actuated by the other shaft and operatively associated with said coupling slider for moving the latter back 30 and forth for the purpose aforesaid.

FRANK GIRARDI.

SALVATORE CIPULLO. 

